


For The Right Amount of Money, I would Kill You

by amusawale



Series: Accidental things Don't just Happen accidentally [1]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Intrigue, M/M, Mercenary Jensen Ackles, Scotsman Jared
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:09:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23385763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amusawale/pseuds/amusawale
Summary: Jared is a small town ice cream shop owner. Jensen is a mercenary. This is their story.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Series: Accidental things Don't just Happen accidentally [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885204
Comments: 16
Kudos: 60





	1. An Impromptu Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I needed to jump-start my brain to finish my work - a historical romance - so I wrote this. it was meant to be a one-shot until I remembered I do not have the ability to write those/ don't have time to write all of it in one sitting. One or the other.

He heard the squealing brakes and whipped his head around, body tensing as he stared outside. His hazel eyes widened with horror as he saw a black motorbike skidding sideways along the road, headed straight for the window of his shop.

Leaping over the counter, he grabbed the little girl currently trying to get her mother's attention to ask for more caramel fudge ice cream and leapt to the side, pushing her mother along with him.

The dramatics proved unnecessary because, instead of careering into the window, the black motorbike came to a screeching halt, slamming it's equally black-clad rider into the red brick that separated his display window from his entrance. 

Slowly, he put the child down. She was screaming with terror and crying. While he was vaguely sorry for scaring her, it wasn't enough to make him pay attention to her cries. Instead, he ran out to see if the rider was alright. That _had_ to have hurt.

The person was on the ground, groaning as they struggled to get their limbs to work.

"Are ye alrigh'?" Jared leaned down to touch his shoulder and get his attention and the man jumped as if he'd been electrocuted. He turned, black helmet shielding him from view.

Jared lifted his hands in a semblance of surrender, "Sorry dinna mean tae startle ye."

He stretched out his hand, "Jared Padalecki's my name. Can I help ye up?"

"Padalecki? Isn't that Polish?" the man's voice was deep, rough and musical; kinda hoarse as if he'd been shouting all day. 

Jared lifted an eyebrow, wondering at the non-sequitur. "Oh aye."

"Well, then why the fuck do you have a Scottish accent?"

Jared smirked. "I'm adopted."

The man snorted and Jared's eyebrow rose higher. First of all, it wasn't as if the guy knew him, he totally could have been adopted. Secondly, why did it even matter?

"So...do ye need me tae help ye up or are ye fine?"

The man struggled to his feet, abhorring Jared's help even though he clearly needed it.

"Shall I call ye an ambulance, _mo charaid_?" Jared persisted.

The man shook his helmeted head, leaning weakly against the store window. "I'm fine."

"Och aye, 'course ye are. What aboot a tow then?"

The man looked at his bike, whose front wheel was turned at a very awkward angle and groaned.

"What? Can ye no afford it?"

Even through his blackened helmet, Jared knew the man was glaring at him. He grinned widely, finding that he was truly enjoying himself. Slowly the man lifted hands trembling with reaction and took his helmet off. Jared looked on avidly, curious to see the man behind the stubborn fool. 

The first thing he saw was the man's hair, kind of dirty blond or light brown, short, no-nonsense cut. It screamed of a lack of care for his appearance or supreme impatience towards personal grooming. Jared's fingers ran self-consciously through his own long luxuriant gleaming locks in response.

As if in slow motion, the man raised his head as Jared waited with bated breath. He could see the cheekbones, so sharp he could use them as knives, and then his chin came into view, jaw batman strong. A handsome face all in all, a cool looking man whose features wholly matched his motorcycle.

Then the man lifted his head and met Jared's eyes with his own viridian orbs. Jared was embarrassed to think of them as orbs as if they were in some Scifi novel or at least a cheap-ass romance but there he was. The man had orbs, not something as mundane as eyes. They seemed to glow with preternatural light and Jared would happily have drowned in them.

"Weel...hello there." he murmured not bothering to hide his admiration.

The man smirked, before turning to the side so that Jared might better appreciate his sculpted silhouette. "What town is this?" the man asked, nay, demanded.

"This is Los Angelelicos. Why are ye lost?"

The man just continued to stare across the street.

Jared took a step back and into his doorway, "While ye're thinking, ye're welcome tae come inside and have a seat afore ye fall on yer very bonny ass."

The man finally turned back to him, eyebrow quirked. "You have no brain to mouth filter do you?"

Jared cocked his own eyebrow in answer, "What would I need one for the noo? Are ye coming in or no?"

The man huffed but answered by limping forward to follow Jared, who beamed at him in pleasure.

"I've told ye my name. Will ye no tell me yours?"

The man sighed as if resigned. "It's Jensen. My name is Jensen."


	2. Sheesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jensen just wants to do a job and leave. What even are all these complications?

Jensen sat down with resignation, mentally taking stock of his body. There was a pain at his hip he might have to look at later but otherwise, it was all surface bruises. A steaming cup of coffee appeared in front of him and the overenthusiastic guy who'd dragged him into the shop took a seat opposite him.

Jared, he said his name was.

Strange guy.

_Polish guy with a Scottish accent? What even?_

Jared smiled at him as if he was the most delicious ice cream cone his shop had. "Ye look more like a coffee guy than icecream."

Jensen looked down at his cup and then back up at the guy. His lips quirked in the semblance of a smile. He didn't drink from cups he hadn't poured himself so he was not about to even take a sip of the coffee - heavenly as it smelled - but he was grateful nevertheless.

"I am."

Impossibly, the guy's smile got wider. A tendril of hair slipped down his face, splitting his right eye in two. He made no effort to brush it back and Jensen's fingers itched to do it for him. He disliked when things were out of order. Though the man's entire head of hair was anything but orderly. Honestly who needed hair that long? And why the fuck couldn't he tie it back neatly if he had to have it brushing his shoulders like that? What did he think he was anyway?

"Are ye no drinking yer coffee?"

Jensen's eyebrow quirked and he looked away. "You said something about a tow? Where can I get that?"

Jared shot to his feet. "I'll get ye the number. Ye just sit righ' there and drink yer coffee."

Jensen frowned. This Jared guy was really insistent about him drinking. As soon as Jared slipped behind the counter he leaned forward and sniffed at the drink. He dipped his finger in the scalding drink and touched his tongue. 

He waited to see if there were any bitter undertones or the coffee tasted off but...nothing. Just the heady taste of coffee beans made to perfection.

 _Huh_.

"Here it is." He jumped as a piece of paper landed in front of him. For such a giant, _Jared_ moved surprisingly quietly. Jensen narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. 

"Thanks. Why are you helping me?"

Jared's hazel eyes widened in surprise. "I beg yer pardon?"

Jensen leaned forward, searching his eyes. "You heard me."

"I...tis the neighbourly thing to do is it no?"

"I'm not your neighbour."

Inexplicably, the man laughed. "No shit. My neighbour's eighty and loves to pinch my bum."

Jensen leaned back, just staring at the guy. He picked the cup up slowly, eyes not leaving Jared's and took a sip. Jared stared at him, eyes dropping to his mouth as he licked his lips. 

"Weel...that was dramatic." his voice was low and raspy as if he was turned on.

Jensen's eyes widened with understanding. "You want to fuck me." 

Jared threw back his head, guffawing unrestrainedly. "Ye say that as if it's a surprise. Does everyone who meets ye no want to take ye to bed?"

Jensen shrugged. "They usually don't go to this much trouble. I'm pretty easy."

"Weel can I help ye and also be attracted to ye? Is that allowed?"

Jensen shook his head. "No. It's one or the other."

Jared sighed theatrically and rolled his eyes. "Look, I used to be in the Royal Regiment of Scotland and we learned first aid as part of our training. Can I at least look ye over and tend to yer injuries."

Jensen barked with laughter. "You could just ask me to strip for you. No need for the pretence."

Jared shook his head, his face sombre and serious. "I'm not pretending. I really do want to help you."

Jensen blinked a few times and then decided to bite. "Alright then _Jared_ , do your worst." 


	3. Fantasy vs. Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jared is intrigued by this strange man.

Jared led the impossibly beautiful man to his car and handed him into the passenger seat, ignoring the man's epic bitch face. He clearly was one of those people who were uncomfortable with a helping hand judging by how much he was bristling.

Jared decided that the man had probably grown up in an orphanage, unwanted and unloved. He was shipped out to foster families who used him for money but begrudged him the smallest luxuries. That is until he became a teenager and grew into those gorgeous looks and then his foster parents wanted something different from him.

Jared huffed at his own ridiculousness as he got in the driver's seat of his purple Volkswagen. Jensen was still giving him suspicious glances as if he expected Jared to attack him at any second.

"What?" the man's voice was low and raspy if sharp and Jared had to suppress the shiver that slithered down his spine.

"Mmm?" he asked, not knowing what the man had seen _now_ , that he was suspicious of.

"Why are you laughing?" the man's voice was accusing.

Jared blinked innocently at him. "I'm nae laughing. What makes ye think I am?"

The man, Jensen, just narrowed his eyes and glared.

"My ye're prickly," Jared said as he pulled the car into reverse and edged it out of the underground garage beneath his building. He had a little room above the shop with a bathroom that held first aid supplies but he wanted to take the man home. He meant to make him lie down and rest because he was convinced that the man was more hurt than he was letting on. He also obviously did not have the means to help himself - who refused the hospital unless they couldn't pay for it? - and he didn't want to ask anyone to help him.

Jared wasn't one to let that fly.

 _No. Nope. Not on my watch_.

He drove silently, slipping in some Miles Davis in his CD player and hoping the music was soothing to Jensen. The man said nothing else as they drove, but Jared could feel his tenseness, could see how alert his eyes were. 

They arrived at his cottage which sat on the edge of town next to what passed for a lake. It meant his lawns were always watered what with the irrigation system he'd rigged up, and his dogs had perfectly lush vegetation to luxuriate in. They came running in surprise as he came to a stop beside his front door, not used to seeing him around at this time of day.

He got out of the car, pushing the dogs away as he headed for the front door. Jensen followed more cautiously. Jared made sure not to look in his direction, not wanting to seem too eager to get his hands on the other man or provoke him into asking questions.

"Have a seat," he called, dropping his keys in the basket placed on a table in the foyer before leading Jensen to the living room, "I'll gang and get supplies."

He heard a heavy sigh of resignation behind him before the soft shuffling sound of him settling on the sofa. The dogs were all over the new guy and for a moment Jared worried that Jensen might push his babies away roughly but when he peeked, Jensen was ignoring the dogs as they sniffed at him curiously.

Jared shrugged, hurrying to the bathroom to get his supplies.

***

"Ooh, that looks like it hurts," he examined the discoloured swelling along Jensen's side with a wince. 

"It's fine." Jensen was all stoic and long-suffering and Jared gaped at him in surprise.

"No. It isna fine. It's a godawfu' mess. Ye should be in a hospital. I canna tell if ye've broken a rib."

"Well, _I_ can. And there are no ribs broken."

Jared adjusted his inner Jensen origin story where several of his foster parents beat him so badly that sometimes he was forced to tape his broken ribs by himself and pray they healed before they beat him again.

"Mmm, weel, let me disinfect it at least." he held out two white pills, "Here ye can take these for the pain."

Jensen ignored his outstretched hand and more importantly, the two pills therein. "I'm fine."

Jared shook his head wondering who the hell Jensen thought his macho act was for. He leaned back on his haunches looking the man in the eye. "Look, Jensen, I ken ye're a bit tough manly man wi' a spine o' steel but ye need to take these so that ye can reduce the swelling and pain. So stop being an idjit and take th' pills."

Jensen blinked at him seeming surprised. He didn't say a word for a long time, just stared at Jared as if he was a particularly curious alien species that Jensen hadn't decided what to do with. "Thank you, but no."

Jared sighed in frustration. "Fine. But I'm compressing yer wounds wi' hot water. We have to get th' swelling doon somehow."

Jensen just blinked at him some more, looking singularly unperturbed.

Jared shook his head and got to work.

***

"He isna human. The man sat in stoic silence while I cleaned pebbles out o' his wounds from where he scratched himsel' up on the road. I poured _spirit_ in the wounds and he dinna sae much as wince. I dinna ken how I even convinced him tae lie doon and rest. Besides ye should see his face. _No way_ this man is human. He's some kind o' fae sent to me by my ancestors." 

Jensen lay with his eyes opened listening to his rescuer as his deep rumbling laughter echoed around the room. The man was discussing him on the phone. He had promised to call a tow for him and have his bike repaired if Jensen agreed to lie down. He was about to protest until something Jared said had him tensing.

"Ye dinna even have tae pay commercial rates. Chad is my friend. He'll do yer bike for beer."

 _Chad_.

The man he'd been sent here to kill. 

When he'd gotten in that accident, he'd meant to only ruin his bike enough to require it to be taken to the only auto repair shop for miles. His employers had been unable to find him an exact location for the man who needed to die. They only knew that he was somewhere in the desert. The man was good at hiding it turned out. 

He had not meant to be sidetracked by overzealous townspeople seeking to be of assistance but look at that...turned out perfect.

Now all he had to do was wait.


	4. Chad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chad Michael Murray isn't just a mechanic

There was more to Chad than met the eye. For one thing, he wasn't just a motor vehicle mechanic. And he had not always lived in Los Angelelicos. Hell, who had?

Los Angelelicos was a town that consisted of people who were fugitives from their lives. It had probably started out as an oasis in the desert that migrating animals used as a stopping point to greener pastures. In the age of cell phones, it was one hotspot in a desert with no signal. 

The town consisted of one ice cream shop, a general store, three book stores slash video rental stores, a library, five bars and a tiny inn. It also had an abandoned mine that some stranger wandered into once every six months in search of that one abandoned piece of treasure that might turn their lives around.

They never found any.

They were lucky if they found their way out again.

Chad had not come for the mines or the cell phone signal. Before he left civilization his job had involved mechanics more complicated than could be found in any car or motorbike. He worked for The Firm and carried out sanctioned interference that led to targeted outcomes which brought about paradigm shifts. 

His last job before disappearing had _not_ been sanctioned. As a result, he was forced to resign his position expeditiously and make himself scarce. Messing with the Beast's GPS thus causing the president to career off a fifty-foot cliff and land at the bottom in a pile of crushed metal and twisted leather had not been on The Firm's to-do list. A thing like that could wreak havoc on the stock market and _everybody's_ portfolio suffered.

In a surprise twist, the president had not died but was even more of a vegetable than he'd been before. Happily, he was unable to use his fingers and so the incessant tweeting had ceased.

Considering his options, Chad had figured that the firm might find him just as fast - or slow - in Los Angelelicos as they could in Tangiers. So instead of leaving the country, he'd decided to hunker down in this oasis in the middle of the desert.

Besides, urban legend had it that there was protection to be found in this small town. Even from the Firm. You just had to know the right people.

"You say this guy twisted his bike up right in front o' you?" he grinned as Jared told him of the newest visitor to their little town.

"Aye. Ye should see him. He isna real."

"Nah. I'll leave his ass to you. I'm _still_ partial to a pair of double D's myself despite your efforts to convert me. But I'll pass by tomorrow and get the bike. Gotta go out to Hyena's Point today. Old Maggot's tractor stalled again."

Jared snorted. "I dinna ken why ye indulge tha' man. His tractor's held together by spit and faith. If'n ye ignored him he'd be forced to realize tha'."

"Hey, he keeps me sharp. If I can get that tractor running again, no machinery made by men or gods can defeat me."

Jared gave his hearty laugh. "Okay then. I shall try tae keep the visitor entertained. He seems the impatient sort."

"Oh, I'm sure you can think of one or two things to do with him in the meantime."

Jared laughed again. "Aye. He doesna seem averse to fucking so we'll see."

"Ew, Jared, too much information!"

Jared just continued to chuckle as Chad hung up on him, shaking his head. 


	5. Push Pull

"I'm friends with the monster, That's under my bed..." Jared sang under his breath as he cleaned Jensen's wounds, kneeling in front of him like a penitent as Jensen reclined on his couch.

Jensen snorted, "Why would that not surprise me at all?"

Jared looked up, quirking an eyebrow. "Beg pardon?"

Jensen gave him a look. "You look like the kind of person who would make friends with anyone, even monsters."

Jared chuckled, "Why do I think ye're no complimenting me?"

"Because I'm not. You need to watch who you let in your house."

Jared ducked his head, eyes on the wound he was cleaning. "Is that so? Why? What do ye plan on doing wi' me Jensen?"

"I could kill you in a thousand different ways."

Jared laughed out loud. "Oh? Do ye no find tha' to be a waste? There are so many other things we could be doing."

Jensen pursed his lips. "I suppose," he looked away, his brow furrowed with dissatisfaction. Jared considered him thoughtfully and then his eyebrows rose in surprise. "Ye're _worried_ about me," he said his voice breathless with revelation.

Jensen snorted again. "Oh yeah. I just met you not a few hours ago and I'm _worried._ Your naivete truly has no limits."

Jared leaned over him, searching Jensen's eyes. "No. Ye're definitely worried for me. Ye shouldna be. It's safe here."

Jensen just looked away, the crinkle in his brow still visible. Without thinking about it, Jared lowered his head and kissed Jensen's forehead. The other man turned with a surprised frown, staring intently at Jared. "What are you doing?"

Jared just stared at him before lowering his head and fitting his mouth to Jensen's. He moved his mouth, tongue darting out to taste, his teeth nipping at surprisingly soft lips. He waited, tense, for Jensen to either push him roughly away or kiss him back. Neither of those things happened. 

Jared lifted his head and stared into Jensen's eyes.

"When did you say the mechanic was coming?" Jensen asked.

That definitely was not the question Jared was expecting. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to suppress his annoyance. "Weel, he had tae go oot o' town today. He'll come by tomorra."

"Ah...so in the meantime, you plan on molesting me?"

Jared drew in a shocked breath and shuffled away from Jensen so that they were not touching anywhere. "That wasna necessary. If'n ye dinna like my touch, all ye had tae do is say."

Jensen sat up from whence he was reclining on the sofa, seeming to put no effort into it. "No, it's not like I don't _like_ it. It's more that I don't know what game you're playing."

"Is everyone ye meet playin' a game Jensen?"

He shrugged, "In my experience...yeah."

"Tha's unfortunate." Jared studied his nails. "I havena any games tae play wi' ye. I like tae be straightforward mysel'."

"Is that so? So tell me, Jared...what is it you want with me?"

Jared looked up and met his eyes. He searched Jensen's gaze for a long time. "I want to save you."

***

Jensen felt his insides ice over at Jared's words. There was something about the look in Jared's eyes as he said it that had him on high alert. It was as if Jared knew who he really was. He shot to his feet, hand automatically feeling for the handgun he always carried before he remembered that his shirt was off, and he was masquerading as a civilian.

"Who are you?" he growled as menacingly as he could.

Jared's bark of laughter came as such a shock that he jerked in startlement.

"Do ye live in an action movie or something? Why would ye say tha'? Ye ken who I am. Jared Padalecki."

Jensen pursed his lips.

_Then why do I feel like you're gaslighting me right now?_

He didn't say anything, just lowered himself slowly back onto the sofa. If Jared Padalecki - if that even was his name, never mind that it sounded totally made up - wanted him to believe that nothing strange was going on here, then he would do just that. He huffed a laugh. "I guess I've been on my own too long. Always expecting an attack from someone."

"Och aye? Where d'ye come from then? New York perhaps?"

Jensen shrugged. "All over the place. I'm a nomad."

Jared nodded, getting off his knees and taking a seat close to Jensen, but not close enough to be uncomfortable. "Weel, ye're welcome to stay here a while if ye like."

Jensen laughed. "You _really_ want in my pants don't you?"

Something flashed in Jared's eyes and if Jensen didn't know better, he'd have said it was hurt. His rescuer shrugged self-deprecatingly and then sighed. "I suppose I do."

Jensen stared, not sure what to make of this man at all. Making a split-second decision, he lunged forward, capturing Jared's lips with his own and tasting him thoroughly. As a credit to his reflexes, Jared only froze for a moment before giving as good as he got. Pretty soon, they were mauling each other, mouths competing in a game of dominance, each unwilling to give. Jared's hands were like steel bands around his neck, holding Jensen in place for his mouth to devour, while Jensen's own hands wandered along those impossibly muscled arms, flicking off the man's t-shirt and explored - _at last_ \- the hardness of his chest, flicking at his nipples until they were hard and then moving on to trace his happy trail. 

He tore his lips away from Jared's feeling them tingling and swollen as he let his eyes feast on the expanse of flesh exposed to him. 

"Damn son," he breathed and Jared chuckled, low and raspy.

"D'ye want tae take this tae the bedroom?" he asked, his chest still heaving.

Jensen smirked. "Wouldn't have taken you for the vanilla sort. What's wrong with the couch?"

Jared smiled wide and delighted. "Can ye no wait? Alrigh' then, Jensen, ravish me righ' here."

Jensen reached for him. He might not know what Jared was up to, but he did know how to make the man forget his own name.


	6. Murder and Chill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jensen finds Chad

Jared fell into him as if he were the safest port in any harbour. Holding nothing back. Kissing Jensen as if his life depended on it. His mouth mapping Jensen's as if he wanted to taste every last meal Jensen had ever had. His hands roving over Jensen with an urgency that spoke his need louder than any words. His eyes wide and gone dark, not even trying to hide his desire. His _want_. Jensen could not fathom what kind of life would allow a man to be that careless with himself. Either Jared had lived a very sheltered life or he was the biggest fool that Jensen had ever met.

So why did his utter surrender make Jensen feel protective?

It was beyond his experience to even ask such a question. So instead, he did what he knew best. Reaching for Jared's jeans he practically tore them off, eager to get his mouth on Jared's cock. To forget everything but the driving force of too much; to focus on nothing but suppressing his gag reflex and taking in as much as he could of Jared's thick, long, delicious member.

Above him, Jared groaned, low and deep, the sound seeming to have been pulled directly from his soul. Jensen sucked harder. The part of him that always stayed detached told himself he was doing it so that he could leave the man fucked out and without two brain cells to rub together. Then he could go and find the man named Chad and blow his head off.

The other part of him, small and forgotten, that still remembered how to feel, laughed.

"Oh God, Jensen, aye that's perfect. Yer mouth is perfect. I canna...oh God help me, I canna..." Jared sounded increasingly distressed as Jensen employed his tongue and his throat and his hands to drive him literally mad. 

A small kernel of pleased warmth spread in Jensen's belly when Jared's legs began to shake, his body convulsing as thick warm slimy liquid poured down Jensen's throat.

 _Careless_. the thought was an admonition from his more detached self. Yes, it was pure stupidity to swallow down Jared's semen. He didn't know the man from Adam. But Jensen could not bring himself to care.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. I dinna mean tae do tha'. I'm clean tho. Dinna fash." Jared's words were slurred even as he collapsed on the sofa, a hand still caressing Jensen's hair.

"Good to know," Jensen cleared his throat, his voice low and raspy. Or lower and raspier than usual. 

Jared gestured weakly with his hand towards Jensen's dick. "I'll get ye in a moment. Just..." he drifted off, his eyelids fluttering. Jensen suppressed a laugh.

"It's quite alright. I know you will."

Jared's chest was rising and falling steadily, his eyes closed.

Jensen got to his feet, the smile dropping, eyes cold and blank. He walked back into the bedroom in search of clothes. His motorcycle leathers were neatly folded on the chair and his rucksack was on the floor by the bed. He'd put them there himself and had not had them out of his sight while Jared was near. So he knew they remained unexamined.

He opened his bag and extracted a t-shirt and sunglasses. He wore the t-shirt, tucking it into his black jeans before slipping on the sunglasses and putting on his sturdy walking boots. From the side pocket of the bag, he extracted a vial, needle and syringe. Pocketing his supplies he walked soundlessly out of the room, casting a glance at Padalecki to make sure he was still out. He lay still, spread out like a gift, not seeming to have moved a single muscle since he collapsed in a post-coital stupor. 

Jensen headed out the door, closing it silently behind him. He hurried down the street and began to walk. From Jared's phone, he'd extracted the number of Chad's phone and traced it to its last known location. Now all he had to do was go there, kill him, and leave town.

If he felt a sharp stab of regret over leaving Jared behind, it went unacknowledged.

Three miles from Jared's house, he spotted an old yellow jeep parked on the side of the road, next to a driveway that wound inwards so far that he could not see the house. With an inward shrug, he crossed the road and peered inside. The seat was hot from sitting unsheltered from the sun for so long and he took it as a sign. Slipping into the driver's seat, he jumpstarted the vehicle and took off, gratified to see that it had half a tank of gas. That was more than enough to get him where he was going.

***

Chad had always known this day would come. It was inevitable that the Firm would send someone after him. The damage he'd done was not something they could ignore. Otherwise, other agents might start getting ideas of which lines they could or could not cross. Still, he hadn't expected that day to be today.

So it was with considerable chagrin that he woke up, hanging upside down, inside his own workshop.

"Welcome back." a deep baritone said from somewhere to his right. Chad wondered why he wasn't dead already.

"Are you one of those assassins who like to play with your food before you shoot it? Because if it's all the same to you, I'd like to skip that part."

"Your preferences are noted." the voice was dry, wry with an undercurrent of amusement.

"So glad to provide you with some enjoyment," Chad said bitterly.

He heard a footfall and a scuffed boot came into his line of sight. "You are? What enjoyment would that be? Your friend Jared?"

Chad frowned, trying to lift his head enough to see the man's face. Considering that he was trussed up like a turkey, it was a futile enterprise. "What did you do to Jared? He doesn't have anything to do with any of thi-"

"Relax. Your friend is fine." he chuckled, "He was _more_ than fine the last I saw him."

Chad groaned, shaking his head. "You fucked him."

A second boot appeared in his line of sight along with bow legs clad in black jeans. "You say that like it's a rite of passage." his voice had sharpened, and become colder. Chad's heart shuddered with fear for the first time. Fear for his friend.

"I say it like it's just one more piece of evidence that Jared has the worst taste in men ever."

"Ouch. You wound me." the wry amusement was back much to Chad's relief. He never would have thought that making his killer laugh would evoke such a reaction in him.

"So now what? What are we waiting for here? Kill me already."

"Mmm, not quite that easy. You see, when you messed with the Beast, you overrode several systems that were meant to be tamper-proof. There are several people who would like to know how you did it."

Chad sniggered. "I'll never tell," he shouted dramatically, "The Chad will go to his death with all his secrets."

The scuffed boots came closer and the man took hold of what few spikes of Chad's hair he could get hold of, what with the short length and the amount of product he used. He sighed with irritation before grasping Chad's chin instead to lift his head up. "I'm asking you nicely. Don't make me insist."

"Oho, don't make you _insist_? What a bond villain thing to say. Go on man, insist. Go on _Jensen_ , if that's even a real name."

Jensen snorted. "Your friend's name is Padalecki and you think Jensen is weird?"

"What? It's polish."

"Yeah and apparently he's Scottish."

Chad snorted. "His _mother_ is Scottish. He grew up there after his parents got divorced. What? You haven't heard of someone named Antonelli who speaks pure Texan? You're dumber than you look _Jensen_."

He didn't see the bitch slap coming.

"Ouch!" he put all the offense he felt into the word since he couldn't touch his cheek or look at his torturer.

"A word to the wise, don't insult the man with your life in his hands."

"Why ever not? You're gonna kill me anyway."

Jensen actually laughed. "True."

"Not today." a new voice said and Chad slumped with relief.

The scuffed boots whipped around to face the voice. "Jared? What are you doing?"

"Untie him. Now." Jared's voice was colder than Chad had ever heard it.

Scuffed boots didn't move an inch. The subsonic sound as a bullet landed in Jensen's thigh from Jared's silenced gun had Chad jumping. "Whoa!" his heart was thudding with adrenaline. Too much, too much, too much to take in at once. 

_Who exactly_ is _Jared_?


	7. Climax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this the last chapter? We'll see.

"Who are you?" Jensen demanded even as he ducked down on one knee, right hand clutching his thigh. Jared had merely grazed him with the bullet - a flesh wound.

 _Deliberate or dumb luck_?

Jensen didn't believe in luck.

Jared took a step closer, gun still trained on Jensen. 

"Dinna move. I'm warnin' ye."

Jensen put his hands up, getting back on his feet slowly. He could feel blood trickling down his leg. "Fair enough."

Jared took another step forward before bending over, hand reaching into his boot. Before Jensen could so much as _think_ of twitching, Jared was back upright, a knife in his hand. As Jensen shouted with surprise, the knife whizzed over his head. There was a thud from behind him and he glanced back to see that Chad's ropes had been sliced through by the knife and he was now lying in a heap on the floor.

"Ouch Jared! I could have fallen on my head!"

Jared chuckled, gun still trained on Jensen. "Dinna pretend ye dinna have the trainin' tae ken how tae land, Chad. I've seen yer file. Oh, and yer welcome."

Chad wriggled. "You gonna release me from this bondage or are we gonna stand around talking."

Jensen moved his foot, just to see how much attention Jared was paying to him. He'd barely done it before a bullet was pinging off the floor the ricochet of cement sprinkling his shoe.

"Dinna even think aboot it or I shall be forced tae shoot ye." Jared was staring right at him, his eyes grave, "I dinna want tae shoot ye."

Jensen nodded his understanding, swallowed and looked back down. Whoever this Jared really was, he was a professional.

He heard footfalls as Jared moved closer and then everything went black.

***

"Not that I'm not grateful for the rescue man, but what are we doing?" Chad asked as he helped carry Jensen to Jared's car.

Jared looked at him, his eyebrows arched in surprise. "We're takin yer assassin tae my shop. I have storage space there."

"Okay...so...do you have many assassins stored in your shop or...?"

Chad had know Jared since the day after Chad rolled into town, three years ago. He knew Jared as a stand up guy, a real friend who ran the only ice cream shoppe for miles. A harmless guy...Chad would have said before today. One who Chad had resolved to protect at all costs should his former business come to bite him in the ass.

The day after he arrived, he'd sent a code to a number he'd been given by one of his dark web contacts. A code that was supposed to equivalent to application for asylum from the Firm. He'd received an answering green light and had expected that whatever shadowy group was powerful enough to shield him from the Firm would get in touch sooner or later.

It had never happened.

Or so he had thought.

He looked again at Jared, speculation in his eyes.

The man chuckled at Chad's words but did not deign to answer. 

They stuffed Jensen into the back seat and then Jared got in the driver's seat. 

"Want me to come with?" Chad asked leaning in on the passenger side window.

With an enigmatic smile, Jared shook his head.

"Want me to repair his bike or...won't he be needing it?"

Jared's smile widened. "Ye should definitely get on tha'. I'm sure Jensen will appreciate it."

He started the car engine and drove off all without taking his eyes off Chad and still smiling. Chad watched him go as he shook his head. He realized that he had no idea where he was but there was a lone yellow jeep sitting forlornly next to the garage he'd been tied up in. He walked over to it, sure that he could jump start it easy. He'd go over to Jared's shop, collect the bike and mind his business.

***

Jensen opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to clear the blurriness before the round, brown looking thing in front of him resolved itself into Jared's face. The guy had the temerity to grin at Jensen as if he was _beyond_ happy to see him.

"Oh guid, ye're awake."

"You're making the biggest mistake of your life, Jared whoever-you-are. The people I work for-"

"The Firm, yes. I'm familiar."

Jensen tried to hide his surprise. "Then you know what they'll do to you, _and_ Chad, _and_ this whole town if you don't let me complete my mission."

Jared chuckled, "So ye expect me to sit back and let ye, kill Chad?"

"You don't have to sit back. You can just go back to minding your own business."

Jared shook his head regretfully. "I'm afraid I canna do tha'. Chad is under my protection."

Jensen stared incredulously at him before barking in disbelieving laughter. "Have you lost your mind? Who do you think you are?"

Jared just continued to regard him somberly. "I am The Padalecki, that's who I am. And Chad Michael Murray is part of my clan. I am honor-bound to protect him."

Jensen blinked at him a few times. "What?"

Jared sighed, sitting down next to the metal bed that Jensen was tied to, hands and feet cuffed in cold metal. Jensen looked around the room, noting the lack of windows or natural light and concluded that they were underground somewhere. The room was lit by a jazzy blue light and resembled nothing less than one of those sci-fi labs on those TV shows. Jensen lifted a mental eyebrow at it all, wondering where they were. He started when Jared began to speak, forgetting he'd asked a question.

"We've been keeping an eye on the Firm for years, watching them do everything they can to keep the iron-fisted control they have over money flows and economies. We've seen them start wars, subvert revolutions, control currency, manipulate data, perpetuate genocide and spread disease...all in the name of making money." he flicked a glance at Jensen and gave him a wry smile. "They're the real-life Illuminati. But all that is only the surface of what they do."

"If you know that, how can you even pretend that you can fight them?"

Jared looked him in the eye. "Because I can."

Jensen blinked. "What?"

"There are pockets of resistance in the world. A network of people - mostly nerdy types -" Jared's eyes twinkled at him, "who track, and record, subvert and sabotage. If the Firm is an iron hammer, then the clan is hydrochloric acid."

"If that was true, wouldn't I have heard of you?"

"How? To ken of us, to ken we exist, would dilute our effectiveness. We take care to never be caught. The Firm's weakness is what they perceive as their strength - their size."

"So I guess you guys are like...small?"

"A network, aye."

"And _you're_ in charge?"

"Aye."

"So riddle me this. If what you do is so secret, why are you telling me?"

Jared cocked his eyebrow, and bent over Jensen so that he could feel the taller man's breath ghost against his cheeks. Jared searched Jensen's eyes for what, Jensen didn't know. 

"At last, ye ask the right question."

Jensen drew in a shuddering breath, "Then tell me the answer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the answer is no. this isn't the last chapter. Sorry guys. Don't know if I'll need one or two more. We'll see.


	8. Plot...Twist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jared tells Jensen a story.

"My father was a witchdoctor ye ken?"

Jensen frowned at Jared as if he might be worried the man was mad. Jared laughed. 

"I mean that's what they would ha' called him if he lived two hundred years ago. Wha' he was, actually, was curious. He was a man of science ye see. Always wanting to know how things worked." Jared shook his head as he recalled his father's always bright and inquisitive gaze. Whether it was his son he was looking at or a bit of mouldy bread, he was always digging into how they _came to be_ the way they were. Gerald Padalecki was the only father Jared knew who asked him why he chose to play tag and not hopscotch today, and why he preferred jelly to jam.

Sometimes, it had been exhausting. Other times, he wondered if he would ever find someone as interested in him as his father was.

"That was until a new family moved in nex' door t'us. We lived in Texas at the time. San Antonio. They had a young lad wi' them, a little older than me. Preternaturally pretty. Made me feel inadequate just tae be in the same space as him." Jared paused, watching Jensen, but he simply stared impassively back one eyebrow cocked as if he could absolutely not see the point of this story.

"Aroun' this time, I think, my father became interested in voodoo. He liked tae read aboot other cultures and religions and he had made friends with one of our postmen. His name was Etienne and he came here from Haiti. He and my father used to have long talks aboot old world beliefs, how much o' it was hooey and how much was real."

"Okay..." Jensen's frown deepened and he fisted his hands, trying to pull at his handcuffs. Jared gave him a wry smile and continued.

"He began to do his own research. His own experiments. He was particularly interested in zombies and how they became animated again. If their cells were dead then how did they move? Why did they eat? Was brain matter some sort of electrical fuel to power their cells into movement?"

"Sounds like he watched too many episodes of the Walking Dead," Jensen huffed a laugh. Jared patiently waited him out.

"I didna pay much attention to it all at the time. I had something a bit more interesting going on at the time. A new friend."

"Oh, your preternaturally pretty neighbour decided to give you the time of day huh?"

Jared was silent, head bent. He couldn't stop the tears from escaping.

"Jared?" Jensen actually sounded concerned. Jared pinned a smile on his face, sniffed and wiped his cheeks. He looked up and met Jensen's eyes.

"He did more than that. He took me under his wing. He was the best friend I never knew I needed or thought I could have."

Jensen gave him a cynical glance. "Oh yeah? Then what happened to him? Did y'all grow apart as you grew older? Did he get tired of your crazy ass?"

Jared dropped his head, suppressing a sob. He had to breathe in and out a few times before he could continue. "He died," he said softly.

Jensen didn't know why he wanted to reach out and comfort Jared when he said that. He was seized with a desire to gather him close and hold him and tell him that everything would be okay. For a minute, he was so relieved that he was unable to move. 

"Condolences," he said as neutrally as he could.

Jared nodded his head, not lifting it, his ridiculous hair hiding his face. Jensen couldn't understand why he needed for Jared to lift his head. For him to know that Jared was alright. He felt a moment's irrational jealousy at this mythical dead friend of Jared's. A friend who had Jared weeping about his death god even knew how many years later.

"How old even were you when this friend died?" he asked a trifle resentfully. Shouldn't Jared have gotten over it by now? The man was some badass undercover rebel leader or some shit. 

"I was five. My friend was eight." Jared sniffed hand snaking up to his chest and massaging as if he could feel his heart breaking all over again. Jensen had to swallow down some bile. Exactly how special had this guy been?

"That was a long time ago." he couldn't help but point out.

Jared suddenly looked up, hazel eyes still shimmering with tears. He met Jensen's own eyes as he nodded. "It was. Sometimes it feels like yesterday though. I dinna think I'll ever get o'er it. He died right in front o' me ye ken. Ran oot onto the road chasing a ball. A car came out o' nowhere. Ran right over him. Half his face was flattened. He must ha' died instantly."

Jensen took a deep breath. Yeah okay, that sounded gruesome.

Jared took in a deep ragged shaky breath. "I should mention that my dad's experiments had yielded some fruit. He had a working theory of how the whole zombie thing worked. He said that he thought he even found a way to reanimate the dead cells so that the dead wasn't so much as a zombie but _alive_ again."

Jensen had a very bad feeling about where this was going. "No..." he whispered.

"He even tested it. Our dog Harley died of old age."

Jensen frowned. "Harley as in... _Harley_?"

Jared blinked at him. "Aye."

Jensen shook his head. Clearly Jared was crazier than he'd thought. "So lemme guess...he reanimated your friend?"

Jared just blinked at him.

"Jared?"

"I was losing my mind. I couldna sleep. Could barely eat," he grinned weakly, "And ye ken how much I love food. My father was afraid he would lose me too. It got so he was willing to try anything. He asked my friend's parents for their permission to exhume the body."

"This is a fairy tale. You're making this up."

Jared shrugged as if to say, _believe me, or don't_. He was quiet for a long time.

Jensen was on tenterhooks. "Well? Did it work or not?"

Jared sniffed again and nodded. "It worked. Jensen came back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter says end there.


	9. And Then...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the story continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's no rule that says I can't do two chapters in one day. Also, I don't know how many more chapters.

Jensen blinked at him. And then blinked again. He waited a bit to see if he had misheard. Jared just continued to look at him.

"He had the same name as me?" he croaked.

Jared just looked at him.

Jensen began to shake his head in absolute denial. " _Let me out of these restraints_ ," he growled.

Jared immediately reached out and pressed a button. The handcuffs popped open and Jensen was free. He sat up, rubbing his hands together, still blinking at Jared. Jared just sat on the side of his bed, looking back, his eyes calm and placid as if he hadn't just destroyed Jensen's entire world.

He lunged for Jared, hands closing around his throat and tried to squeeze. Jared didn't fight him, didn't do a thing. Jensen tried to choke him but found that he couldn't even cut off the man's air. He jerked away, staring at Jared in fear. "What did you do to me?"

Jared got to his feet and moved towards a console. He pressed some buttons and brought up to the screen a moving picture of what looked like a DNA sequence. "What my father discovered in his experiments is that if he combined science and the magic of voodoo, he could jump-start the heart. The secret, not to sound too corny, is love."

Jensen made a choked sound in his throat; a combination of wanting to laugh, scream, hear more and escape. "I want to know what you-"

"Patience Jensen, I'll tell ye everything."

Jensen snorted, "Fine. So the secret was love...and?"

"A pure love, unconditional. The type one hopes their mother feels for them...or God."

"So what? My mother added her love to the cauldron and I was rebirthed?" Jensen really couldn't help the snark. He also had no memory of a mother. As far as he knew, he grew up in foster care after being abandoned at birth.

Jared shrugged. "It wasn't necessary to involve your mother." he turned to look Jensen in the eye, "Not when I was right there."

Jensen blinked at him. _This is too much_. The thought scratched across his mind with all the urgency of hysteria. He struggled not to let it show. Jared crossed to the room and picked up a bottle of whisky. He held it up, eyebrows raised at Jensen.

"Or would ye prefer a beer?"

"Whisky's good," Jensen said.

Jared nodded. "Tis my family's own brew. My mother's family has been making _uisge_ since the early 1700s."

"Your family's big on making things themselves huh?" Jensen took the glass from Jared and downed it. It burned all the way but he had to admit he felt better. 

Jared grinned at him. "Aye, I suppose they do." he took a deep breath. "The advantage of using my love is that it had already proved to work...on Harley. And considering that I was practically killing myself from missing ye, my father hypothesized that my love would be strong enough."

Jensen spread his hands out extravagantly. "And here I am."

"Aye." Jared's lips twitched as if he was trying to smile, but his eyes were sad.

"So how did we get from there, to here? And also, why can't I kill you?"

Jared huffed a laugh as he poured more whisky for Jensen and handed it to him. "A curious side effect of the spell...loyalty. Ye could no more hurt me than Harley would."

Jensen lowered his lashes and turned away just so Jared couldn't see what he was thinking. He felt a curious kind of relief. If he had been reanimated and thus his feelings for Jared were inevitable, he did not have to feel...unsettled...about them. They were out of his control. 

Another thought occurred to him and he whirled around. "How old _is_ Harley?"

Jared shrugged, lips twisting wryly. "He's...old."

"So what are you saying. Am I immortal?"

Jared laughed. "I'm sorry, but I dinna ken."

"You _don't know_? What the fuck Jared? Where's your father? I'll ask him myself."

Jared sighed, shaking his head. "About a week after ye were reanimated, The Firm swooped down on us. They killed yer entire family and they took ye. They came and tried to take my father too. He fought them with everything he had. He saved me and my mother - as well as all his research - by putting us in a pod...one that transported us to Scotland and my mother's people who had their own ways to conceal people. When he realized that he couldn't stop them from taking him, and that they had already taken ye, he cut his own throat."

Jensen blinked at him, whisky glass frozen half way to his mouth.


	10. Figuring Some Things Oot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jensen adds 1+1

Jensen took a large gulp of whisky, his eyes hooded as he stared at Jared, filled with speculation. "You want to destroy them. That's why I'm here. That's why you're telling me this."

Jared shrugged.

Jensen just continued to stare, sipping his whisky. "So...Chad...is he a real job or did you somehow subvert the Firm's communication systems?"

"Oh he's a real job. He really did sabotage The Beast and almost kill yer president. He really did come here looking for help."

"But...?"

Jared came to lean on the bed beside Jensen, looking at him with bright eyes and smiling affectionately. "I never could slip anything past ye."

Jensen made a face. "Skip the rainbows and get to the answers."

Jared sighed. "Alrigh' so my friends and I-"

"You mean your little rebellion?"

"Aye, my _little rebellion_ and I were looking for...an opportunity. Ye're a hard man tae find Jensen Ackles, they kept ye safe frae the likes o' me. I guess wi' good reason. So when one of my algorithms identified Chad as a potential entry point, we kept track of him."

"What was your criteria for that?"

Jared smiled wryly. "Let's keep that classified for now."

Jensen nodded curtly. "Continue."

"Well, so when he did wha' he did, we put oot a line."

"And baited yourself a piece of bait, for me." Jensen finished for him, looking reluctantly impressed.

"Aye."

"Was the accident in front of your shop real? Was anything real? I gotta admit you totally fooled me with the good ol' boy act."

Jared smiled. "Ye were predisposed to be fooled by me. Dinna take it to heart."

"So," Jensen leaned back against the wall, "dazzle me with your machinations."

"We clocked ye as soon as ye entered the town. We have our ways. The accident ye had in front o' my shop was nae supposed to hurt ye. Just to put ye oot o' commission and give us time to prepare. It isna as easy as ye might think, to plan a revolution."

"And lemme guess, now you want to turn me and send me back to kill The Firm?" Jensen laughed. "You know I'm just a grunt right? They put a gun in my hand and show me who to kill. I don't even know who they are."

Jared nodded. "Aye weel...we do." Jared glanced at him and then away, "But that's no wha' I want from ye Jensen."

Jensen raised a sceptical eyebrow at him.

Jared shrugged, self-deprecatingly. "I wanted to see ye again."

Jensen gawped at him. "See, I _know_ you're shining me right now and _still_ , I wanna believe it...hell of a thing." he shook his head in disbelief.

"It's because I'm telling ye that truth Jensen. Half o' my reason for even starting this thing, was to set ye free."

Jensen quirked an eyebrow in surprise. "Set _me_ free? I'm not a prisoner Jared."

Jared just blinked at him.

" _I'm not_!"

Jared straightened up. "Fair enough. If ye want tae return tae them, ye're free tae gang."

It was Jensen's turn to blink but in surprise. He swallowed, gawping at Jared. "I...haven't finished the job."

"And ye won't. Chad is under _my_ protection."

"And that should make a difference to me why?"

Jared just looked at him.

Jensen threw back his head and laughed. "Oh right, I'm a zombie dog and you're my master."

Jared blanched as if Jensen had physically assaulted him. "Dinna speak o' yersel' like tha'. Ye were my best friend, Jensen, and I love ye."

"Fine. If you love me so much, let me go."

Jared stood, his head bowed for a while, before he sighed, crossing over to the counter where Jensen's arsenal lay in his open case. He closed the case and came over to Jensen, handing it to him. "Yer free tae gang."

Jensen narrowed his eyes at Jared, "You're serious?"

"As a heart attack."

Jensen slowly reached out and took the case, ready for Jared to do something. The man merely let it go, his hazel eyes never leaving Jensen's. Once Jensen's fingers closed around the case, he took his hand away and stood with his hands at his sides, as if he was not in the room with a stone-cold assassin. One who'd just been handed an arsenal of weapons.

Jensen folded the fingers of his other hand around Jared's neck and brought his head down, plunging his tongue into Jared's mouth, suckling his bottom lip before nipping at the corners hard enough to leave a mark. "Aren't you scared I'll eat your brains?" he murmured into Jared's skin. The other man laughed and then inclined his head nonchalantly to the side, giving Jensen greater room to work.

"Do yer worst," he murmured.

Jensen bit down against Jared's neck. The other man whimpered, his whole body shuddering.

"You like that," Jensen said triumphantly.

"Even as a child, ye kenned tha' was my weak spot, Jensen. Always tickling me there when ye wanted something."

Jensen stiffened, remembering who this man was - who this man said he was. What this man said _Jensen_ was. He stepped back, ruthlessly suppressing any feelings of regret.

He saluted Jared and gave him a jaunty smile. "Well...I'll be seeing ya. Got a mechanic to kill."

Jared nodded. "Aye." he pointed to the door with his head, "Up the stairs, turn right, past the storeroom, and oot to the main floor of the ice cream shop. Dinna steal money from my till, please. Yer bike is parked oot front."

Jensen frowned, even as he turned away from Jared, wondering what the catch was.

"Jensen?" 

He turned his head, having just placed his foot on the bottom step. 

"Ye canna kill Chad. I would be very upset if ye did."

Jensen's lip curled. "Thought you said you weren't my master."

"I'm not. I am just letting ye ken it would hurt me if ye killed him."

Jensen frowned, turning away without a word and hurried up the stairs. He had to get away from this madness before it sucked him in. The Firm had given him a job. He was going to do it.

He walked out of the ice cream shop and stopped short. Chad was bent over Jensen's bike, wiping it down until it gleamed. There was no one else about. The ice cream shop was empty, the street deserted. It was the middle of the day when the sun's heat sent all inhabitants indoors. Jensen extracted a small needle from his case, prefilled with a bubble of air. All he had to do was inject it in Chad's veins. Once the bubble reached his heart, it would kill him. Easy as pie. 

He walked quietly, not making a sound, and lifted up the syringe, ready to plunge it in Chad's neck. The man had apparently not heard him, too busy whistling some Britney Spears tune and cleaning Jensen's bike. Jensen brought the needle down, his face contorting as he grabbed Chad's neck. In other circumstances, he might have laughed at the squawking sound the man made. Right now he was too busy trying to steady his shaking hand.

_What the fuck? My hand never shakes!_

He dropped the syringe as Chad tore himself away from Jensen, breathing hard. Jensen stared in shock at the dropped needle and then lifted his shaking hand to his face. He looked at Chad, who was making no attempt to get away, aside from holding onto his bruised neck. The man blinked at him with impassive blue eyes, before turning and walking away.

Jensen wheeled around, back down to the basement lab or whatever that place was. "Jared! What have you done to me!" he cried as he hit the bottom step and then came to a skidding incredulous halt. The basement was empty. There was no sign that not five minutes ago, it had been some sort of low-rent La Femme Nikita type lab. All there was, was an empty concrete space.

Jared Padalecki was nowhere to be seen.


	11. One More Try

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jared lures Jensen

"Well, at least we know it works."

Jared turned, glaring at the other person. "We always kenned tha'. Ye think I'd put Chad in harm's way on a maybe?"

His companion raised their hands in surrender. "Peace. I just meant we have confirmation. Phase 2 is a go."

They both watched as Jensen searched the basement at the bottom of the ice-cream shop, looking for some clue. 

"I haveta admit, the man is thorough."

"Aye. He always had such attention tae detail. Perfection in every sense." Jared's voice was low and thoughtful, his eyes far away as he reminisced. 

His companion snapped their fingers in front of his face. "Hey! No losing focus now."

Jared turned to them, glaring. "Hey DJ, if you don't get your hands out of my face, you might not have them for much longer."

DJ swallowed, putting his hands behind his back. "Sorry."

Jared leaned back, his eyes on the screen. "I'm not sure about phase 2 yet. Just because he's demonstrably seen that my words are true doesn't mean he's ready to believe. And if he isn't..." Jared shook his head.

"Things could go tits up." DJ finished for him.

"Exactly."

"So now what?"

Jared got to his feet. "Nothing. I'm gang tae go home and sleep. Tomorra is another day."

He scooped up his jacket and walked out.

***

Jensen scoped the front door, looking for booby traps, hidden cameras, anything that might trip him up. As far as he could tell, the coast was clear. He opened the door and crept in, looking around at the familiar room, relieved that it hadn't changed.

 _At least I didn't imagine being here_.

Since the basement had been a bust, he thought the next best thing might be to come here and see if he could suss out exactly who this Jared Padalecki was. He crept slowly into the tiny living room, his eyes sweeping over the couch where he'd woken up, taking in the widescreen tv, the home theatre system, there was a phone sitting on the table in the kitchen island, a clock ticking off the seconds in the microwave. Everything looked normal. 

On silent feet, he padded down the short corridor to the room at the end, and turned the knob as slowly as possible, peeking inside. To his shock, Jared himself lay sprawled on the bed, fast asleep.

Jensen extracted his tiny knife, as he widened the gap in the door and stepped quietly into the room. Slowly, carefully, he tiptoed towards Jared's bed, going so far as to bend over him.

The man didn't so much as twitch.

Jensen extended his hand slowly until the knife was lying across Jared's neck. He pressed into Jared's neck until his breathing changed, and he knew Jared was awake.

"Such hubris, laying here without so much as a basic security system on your house, fast asleep." He whispered in Jared's ear.

The other man's breathing quickened. Jensen pressed the knife tighter to his flesh. "I could kill you right now."

"So do it." Jared's voice was raspy, thick with sleep.

Jensen snarled, as he tried to press the knife in deeper. His hand wouldn't budge. Jared just lay there, hands on his sides, essentially defenceless.

"I'm glad ye're here Jensen. I wanted to see ye again."

"Oh you did, huh?"

"Aye. I dinna like how we left things."

"What did you do to me? Why couldn't I kill Chad?"

"I told ye why."

"And I'm just supposed to believe you?"

Jared turned onto his back, staring up at Jensen, completely unconcerned about the knife at his throat. "Ye can do wha'ever ye want, Jensen."

"Except the things that would upset you apparently."

"Loyalty is a bitch is it no?" Jared smirked.

Jensen snarled.

They were at an impasse.


End file.
